GILCHRIST BROTHERS' & CHILDRENS' CHRISTMAS PARTIES

1945-1946

Visitor Tabs

Description

Made during the 1940s, this film contains footage of Christmas parties. Children eat and play, and in the final scene, Father Christmas gives presents to children.

The very first shot in this film is black and white (emulsion year code: 1945), of a woman and boy, she wears a V-neck, patterned and belted dress with a brooch. Many people arrive for a party; they are standing around and socialising. One little boy dances a jig. All the children in particular look very pleased.

There is then a change to colour film (year code 1946). Children sit at a long table with cups of tea, sandwiches, and cake. Most wear home-made party hats. There is a brief sequence in which some children dance. Little girls sat in front of a Christmas tree laugh and chat. There are lots of young girls and boys playing and balloons.

The film returns to black and white. Father Christmas is sitting in front of the camera and a boy stands to his right talking to him. He bends down and talks to some children, and then dispenses gifts.

Context

With the war now over, these children make the most of a civilized Christmas Party with homemade hats, dancing, and tucking into the traditional fare of sandwiches and cakes.

In the immediate aftermath of the war, Gilchrist Brothers of Leeds held Christmas parties for their employees’ children in 1945 and 1946. With rationing still in place, the goodies on display look fairly basic, but wearing an assortment of amazing hats, dancing to an accordion, the usual balloons, and of course Father Christmas, the children are happy enough – even though instead of bottles of pop they have to make do with cups of tea.

This film is one of several films originating with the firm of Gilchrist Brothers, mainly of family film from the outbreak to the end of WWII. This film seems to be of Christmas parties for their employees’ children. They were a company of photo-engravers with a worldwide reputation, supplying, among many others, the major book publishers Time Life. They had premises near where the Merrion Centre now is and a factory at West Park, and close links with Leeds Polytechnic.